The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-19
THE BANK OF FRANCE.
Its Extraordinary Precautions to Guard
Against Counterfeit Coin.


The cashier of a Paris Newspaper found the
other day counterfeit fve-franc piece in bag
of coins which he had just received from the
Bank of France. The announcement of this
was followed by the appearance of the
head cashier of the bank. who. after redeeming
the coin, cut it in two and apologized for the
occurrence. Such thing as a counterfeit piece
of money being received by the Bank of France
is extremely rare. and 1t Is still more eXtraor-
binary that one should have been paid out Be
fore deposit in silver is accepted each coin is
examined separately, and afterward they under
90 second inspection before being placed in
the bags in which they stored away in the
vaults. From forty to fifty men are intrusted
with this work They begin by placing twenty
pieces in scale of pair of balances, then
they place an equal number in the other SCALE
and if the two exactly balance each other they
repeat the operation until there are $50 francs
in each scale When 1000 francs have been
weighed in this way they put in canvas
bag, which is carefully weighed and its weight
registered on tag. which is fastened to the bag
after it is tied and sealed. The name of the
employee who has done the weighing is also
noted on the tag. A bag of 600 francs in FIVE
franc silver pieces ought to weigh a tri1e over
IL 7-100 pounds, and if it weighs less than that
amount 1t IS conclusive proof that one or more
of the coins in it either light counterfeit
In that the coins re-examined, and the
false or defective one is Immediately cut in two
1t is very rare that false coin finds its way
back into circulation through the Bank of
France. and whenever such case occurS-that
of the newspaper already referred to was the
third case III the last eighteen mOnthS-tne
bank at once redeems the coin, and the weigher
whose name is on the tag of the bag from which
it came is either discharged or transferred to
some other department. The bulk of silver in
the possession of the bank comes to it from the
railway companies, who deposit large sums,
varying daily from $4,000 to 100000 francs in
5franc pieces. When the deposit is less than
so. 900 francs the coins examined at once
and the bad ones rejected but when it is over
that amount it is kept separate and examined
later on. but always within four days, when
counterfeit coins sent back to the company.
The bank claims that the honesty of its en-
ployes is above suspicion, but only the other
day of them detected slipping count
erfeit coin into rouleau of gold The bank
employs 600 runners, and no one is appointed to
that position who does not possess private
means outside of his salary. 1t sometimes hap
the bank he finds thousand or hundred-franc
note more in his pocketbook than his days
collections call for He is required to turn this
into the bank, but after certain time if
claim is made for it. it becomes his property.
He is, of course, required TO make good any
deficit in his days account and l told that
the excess and deficits in this department about
balance each other at the end of the year.